Ye

Image courtesy of NRK P3 via Creative Commons.

Image courtesy of NRK P3 via Creative Commons.

 Kanye West has decided to drop his middle and last name and legally change his name to his longtime nickname, Ye. Kanye claims that he is changing his name for personal reasons, but there are other theories out there.  

Many people think that Kanye West’s name change is actually a money motivated move. John Hyatt with Forbes magazine stated, “While Ye’s decision to rename himself appears motivated by matters of identity and self-expression, the name change is also likely to serve Ye’s business interests, according to experts in marketing, branding and reputation management.” Ye’s sneaker brand, Yeezy, has already made him billions, and his name change could boost that. By shortening his name to a single syllable, Ye is following in the footsteps of global brands and high-growth startups that shorten their names to appeal to younger audiences 

In the legal documents, West says his decision for the change is for “personal reasons,” and provides no further explanation. Kanye West tweeted in 2018, “being formally known as Kanye West. I am YE.” Kanyehad been nicknamed Ye for some time and used the moniker as the title for his eighth album. When it was announced on August 25th that Kanye was legally filing to change his name, it did not come as a shock to many, because he hinted at it a few years back. Ye could also use his name change as a way to start over and make up for things that he has done in the past, that have made him hated.  

Ye has become very religious over the years and claims that his new name is not only his nickname but is inspired by the Bible as well. The Associated Press from NBC news stated, “He has said in interviews that, along with being a shortening of his first name, he likes, that it’s a word used throughout the Bible.” The word ye in the Bible represents the word you; Ye claims that he thinks it is the most used word in the Bible. Ye says that now that he has changed his name, he is you, he is us, and the name is us. He claims he went from Kanye, which means the only one, to just Ye, reflecting that he is a part of all of us. 

People have many different opinions about why Ye changed his name. It could be money motivated, religious purposes, or maybe just for other personal reasons. With Ye already being worth quite a lot in net worth through his music and his shoe brand, Yeezy, his name change could be ground breaking, just wait and see.